Ideally a sprinkler system uses a minimum number of heads to provide controlled amounts of water to a maximum surface area. When not in use the sprinkler heads of "pop-up" sprinkler systems are below ground level. The presently available pop-up sprinkler systems are generally of the rotating variety whereby the sprinkler head automatically rotates as the water is sprayed therefrom to cover a maximum amount of area with a minimum number of sprinkers. When the water is not being sprayed, that is when the water is turned off then the sprinkler automatically returns to the container buried in the ground. Since the rotating sprinklers have heads that rotate the present day containers for the sprinklers in general are cylindrical units so that the head can be received in the container no matter what the position of the head when the water is turned off.
Cylindrical containers for the rotating sprinklers are comparatively large and thus take up an area that is otherwise useful for the cultivation of grass, flowers or vegetables. Furthermore, instead of providing an aesthetically picturesque lawn area the present day pop-up sprinklers actually cause ungainly looking lawn areas, pock marked with covered sprinkler containers. Furthermore, the larger the sprinkler container the more chance there is of somebody stepping thereon, breaking the cover and possibly being hurt when falling.
Another drawback of the present day pop-up sprinkler assemblies is the difficulty of disassembling the assemblies to remove the sprinkler heads from the container for repairs, adjustment or replacement. In this regard it is recognized that any miniaturization of the pop-up sprinkler assemblies in an attempt to diminish the area taken up by the containers would only add to the difficulties in disassembly.
Some prior art sprinklers representative of the art and showing some of the above noted deficiencies are as follows:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. INVENTOR ______________________________________ 1605242 J. H. Keys 1665371 J. H. Keys 2989247 J. C. Tropeano et al. 3063645 J. C. Tropeano et al. 3086714 J. C. Tropeano et al. 3301489 J. C. Tropeano et al. ______________________________________
Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide new and improved pop-up sprinkler systems in which the above-referred to disadvantages are substantially reduced or overcome.